Continuously sweeping multiple-pass image acquisition system for peripheral angiography
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for operating an X-ray examination device capable of acquiring images of an object under examination, comprising:
- introducing a bolus of contrast medium into said object, said object having a given dimension, e.g. length, through which said bolus is propagated which is greater than can be imaged by a single acquired image of said X-ray examination device;
acquiring a series of images along the given dimension of said object so as to image said contrast bolus, said X-ray examination device being continuously displaced with respect to the given dimension of said object during acquisition of a substantial number of said series of images, said displacement comprising a smooth sweep motion over said object; and
controlling the duration of the X-ray exposure provided by said X-ray examination device which is used for acquiring each of said acquired images so that said duration is substantially caused to be less than a preset duration which will result in said acquired images having a motion induced blur which is less than a predetermined amount.
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Abstract
In an X-ray imaging system, images of a moving bolus of contrast medium are acquired by the emission of X-ray radiation pulses through an object to be imaged while controlling the longitudinal movement of an X-ray imaging device of said system in a continuously sweeping manner over said object. For limiting motion induced blur in the acquired images to an acceptable level, X-ray exposure values are developed which limit the duration of the X-ray pulses so that they do not exceed a predetermined maximum duration. In a preferred embodiment mutliple passes of the imaging device are made over the object.
66 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for operating an X-ray examination device capable of acquiring images of an object under examination, comprising:
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introducing a bolus of contrast medium into said object, said object having a given dimension, e.g. length, through which said bolus is propagated which is greater than can be imaged by a single acquired image of said X-ray examination device; acquiring a series of images along the given dimension of said object so as to image said contrast bolus, said X-ray examination device being continuously displaced with respect to the given dimension of said object during acquisition of a substantial number of said series of images, said displacement comprising a smooth sweep motion over said object; and controlling the duration of the X-ray exposure provided by said X-ray examination device which is used for acquiring each of said acquired images so that said duration is substantially caused to be less than a preset duration which will result in said acquired images having a motion induced blur which is less than a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An X-ray examination apparatus, comprising:
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an X-ray source for providing an imaging beam of X-ray radiation pulses; an X-ray imaging device positioned for receiving said imaging beam and acquiring images in response thereto; image processing means coupled to said X-ray imaging device for electronically processing and storing said acquired images; position adjusting means for providing a spatial displacement between said X-ray imaging device and an object to be examined, said displacement being a smooth sweep in the direction of the given dimension of said object and occurring simultaneously with said X-ray imaging device acquiring a series of images along the given dimension of said object; and means for calculating exposure control values which are applied to said X-ray source for controlling the emission of pulses of X-ray radiation emitted from said X-ray source, wherein said means determines said values in a manner so that said X-ray pulse widths are caused to substantially be less than a preset duration so as to provide a blur in the acquired images which is less than a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 15, 16, 17)
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11. An X-ray examination device capable of acquiring digital subtraction images of an object under examination, comprising:
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means for introducing a bolus of contrast medium into said object, said object having a longitudinal dimension, i.e. length, through which said bolus is propagated which is greater than can be imaged by a single acquired image of said X-ray examination device; means for acquiring a first and second series of images along a length of said object; means for causing said X-ray examination device to be continuously displaced with respect to the length of said object during acquisition of a substantial number of said second series of images in an effort to cause said second series of images to image said contrast bolus, said displacement comprising a continuous sweeping motion over said object; means for controlling the duration of the X-ray exposure provided by said X-ray examination device which is used for acquiring each of said acquired images so that said duration is substantially caused to be less than a preset duration which will result in said second series of acquired images to have a motion induced blur which is less than a predetermined amount; and means for subtracting correspondingly positioned ones of said first and second series of acquired images and displaying the result. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification